You’ve grown to love “it.”

No one is born with passion and no one is born with a purpose. Both are developed based on a love for something you were exposed to from the time you were born until now. You fell in love with it. You became interested in it and then passionate about it. You genuinely love it.

You still love it despite how challenging it is.

Any purpose has to have pull. You are attracted to it no matter the odds, obstacles, naysayers, or whatever. You realize anything worthwhile will have opposition of some magnitude. Your true purpose will likely have obstacles of mega-proportions. Regardless, you won’t care what stands between you and it because nothing can stop you from achieving it. You truly believe this.

You haven’t figured out “the how” yet and that mystery drives you.

I often preach you need to figure out what you want first and how to get it second. Too many give up because they don’t know “how.” If you know “what” and want it badly enough, you will figure out “how.” I promise.

You’ll need a significant amount of time to “accomplish it.”

Anything that comes too easily or too quickly won’t be as rewarding or have the staying power. There simply isn’t enough pull to keep you interested. Your purpose will likely require years of effort and include many twists and turns. It will also require more than a few “self discussions” where you question your love for it, talk yourself back into it, and reach new heights that keep driving you to the next level.

It will affect several aspects of your life.

Nothing truly rewarding touches only one aspect of your life. You’re a complex being with several, important compartments to your life. Your health (mental and physical), family, friends, colleagues, work, hobbies, and so forth will all be affected—positively—by your true purpose. At different moments during your life, you will have to rebalance certain areas to achieve your purpose. But, this rebalance will never reach a tipping point. Your purpose will ultimately make all aspects of your life better in the long run.

It will positively impact many others.

This world is bigger than any one person. In some fashion, we’re all meant to impact others in a rewarding way. The happiest people you’ll ever meet—I guarantee this—are the ones who have made a major contribution to improving the lives of others.

Interestingly, your greatest personal gifts and talents are often more easily recognized by others than by you. I stopped long ago trying to figure out why that’s the case. Just go with it. If you hear others remarking, “You should do that,” or “That’s your calling,” or “The world needs this from you,” you should listen.